"Have you heard? Azuma-senpai lost to a middle schooler—"

"He got struck out straight up!!"

"He swung again and again but couldn't even touch the ball—"

"I heard that too—"

The news spread like wildfire through Seidou High School's baseball club.

"What nonsense are you spouting? I just didn't want to bully him any further—how did it turn into me losing?"

Azuma Kiyokuni bristled the moment he overheard the rumors. He was already itching to challenge Sawamura again.

But Sawamura, still a middle schooler, had a limit to how many pitches he could throw. Besides, Azuma was starting to pick up on Sawamura's unusual deliveries. They weren't as baffling as they'd first seemed, and Rei Takashima would never allow a pointless rematch.

For now, Sawamura was being guided by Rei on a proper tour of Seidou's baseball facilities.

Even the standard training grounds were enough to widen his eyes, but when he stepped into the weight room and the equipment storage specifically for the team—

Sawamura nearly had his jaw hit the floor.

"We'll always keep the door open for you," Rei told him with a soft smile. "Whenever you want to come, just give me a call. I'll handle the rest."

It wasn't just lip service. Seidou had been short on true pitchers for years, especially Aces with rare, dominant talent. Even now, with an undisputed Ace on the roster, Rei still longed for Sawamura's arrival.

She had seen his pitching once before in Nagano Prefecture, had felt the raw willpower behind his unrefined delivery. What stuck with her most wasn't only his grit but the sheer potential hidden in that pitch. Today was her chance to confirm it.

And she had.

Sawamura's talent was greater than she dared imagine.

He was a natural-born eccentric pitcher, the kind who could rewrite games if molded correctly.

Seidou might not be perfect in every area, but when it came to developing raw players into finished gems, they were the best in Tokyo—maybe even Japan.

Sawamura and Seidou together… it was an ideal fit.

"Where's the guy who was pitching with me earlier?"

As they prepared to leave, Sawamura suddenly asked about Zhou Hao, eager to see him again.

Rei hesitated. For a player of Sawamura's level, joining a team that already had a young Ace was a huge risk. It could mean sitting on the sidelines for two years—two years of nothing but relief appearances.

And if Sawamura saw Zhou Hao's true pitching… Seidou might lose this extraordinary talent before they even got him.

After a moment's thought, Rei made her choice.

Every player deserves the truth. Deception wasn't how Seidou operated.

"Follow me," she said at last.

The bullpen was alive when they arrived. Zhou Hao was resting, while Chris prepared to catch.

"Want to throw a few more?" Chris asked.

"Yeah. Let's do it." Zhou Hao stepped onto the mound.

"Wait—he's a pitcher too?" Sawamura blinked in surprise.

Rei nodded. "That's right. Let me introduce you. This is Zhou Hao, the Ace of Seidou High. Through the entire West Tokyo Summer Tournament, not a single opponent has managed to score on him."

Sawamura froze.

As a pitcher himself, he knew exactly what that meant. A runless tournament wasn't just rare—it was terrifying.

Then Zhou Hao delivered.

His wind-up flowed like water, every motion honed by thousands of repetitions.

Boom!

The ball hissed through the air with a force that left Sawamura speechless.

Thwack!

It slammed into the mitt, the sound echoing like a gunshot.

Miyuki, crouched behind the plate, narrowed his eyes. "The power of your Spiral Ball… it's weaker than before."

"I've already thrown three sets today," Zhou Hao admitted. "Even with breaks, that's 60 pitches. If I use the Spiral Ball just once at the start and once to finish, I can stretch to five or six innings. If I throw it nonstop? Four, maybe five at best. Not enough."

His tone carried frustration. Not even this devastating weapon was enough for him.

Meanwhile, Seidou's intelligence reports showed how brutal the road to Koshien would be. No opponent would roll over. Zhou Hao pitching just half a game couldn't win them a championship. Everyone needed to step up—and he needed to become even stronger.

Sawamura's jaw dropped. "He already throws that kind of pitch, and he's still not satisfied?!"

Rei chuckled softly. "Zhou Hao's talent is unique. But don't be discouraged—yours is equally rare. That said, if you come to Seidou, you might not become Ace until your final year. Even then, you'll have to fight for it. Internal competition here is fierce. Without unshakable determination, even a genius gets swallowed."

Sawamura's eyes lit up with reckless fire. "If I beat him… can I be Ace earlier?"

Rei was momentarily stunned. He wasn't intimidated in the slightest. After watching Zhou Hao's monstrous pitch, the boy only burned hotter with fighting spirit.

Maybe this is what it takes to be an Ace.

"That's right," Rei answered with conviction. "Beat him, and the Ace number is yours. Seidou respects only strength."

She walked him out, but the conversation never left her lips.

Sawamura, however, had already made up his mind.

Someday, he would rip that Ace title from Zhou Hao's hands.

Yet even as his fighting spirit surged, a knot formed in his chest.

What about his promise with his friends? They had sworn to enter high school together, fight side by side, and reach Koshien as a team.

Between his vow and his ambition… how would he choose?

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